Angela Jackson
Future Forward Strategies
San Diego, CA USA
"What makes you different makes you special."
Career Roadmap
Angela's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Education, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
When I transitioned from journalism to marketing, I struggled with self-doubt because I didn't understand the corporate world. I was raised by my grandparents who didn't go to high school or college and was suddenly thrown into a world of fancy dinners and nuanced etiquette. I didn't see anyone who looked like me. I started trying to emulate others rather than lean into who I was. As I gained experience, I realized that everyone has their own origin story and it's okay to represent your own.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Journalism
University of Missouri-Columbia
Bachelor's Degree
History
University of Missouri-Columbia
Doctorate
System-Level Education Entrepreneurship
Harvard University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
When I was young, I was determined to become the next Oprah.
2.
I started working for my school’s newspaper when I was in sixth grade and continued all throughout middle and high school.
3.
I went to the University of Missouri-Columbia, the number one journalism school that year, and earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and history.
4.
After graduating, I got a job at a TV station but realized that it wasn’t right for me—I loved journalism but realized that the news and the framework and culture around it didn’t resonate with me.
5.
I decided to make a career change and landed a temp job at Sony Pictures in the marketing department.
6.
From there, I built my career in business and marketing, and then worked my way into entrepreneurship.
7.
I eventually started volunteering at schools, speaking to students about my career and using my marketing experience to help principals implement new strategies—in doing so, I had found my niche.
8.
I now work as the CEO of Future Forward Strategies, a labor market analytics firm, and as a lecturer at Harvard University, teaching about entrepreneurship in the education marketplace.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Do I belong here?
How I responded:
When I transitioned from journalism to marketing, I struggled with self-doubt because I didn't understand the corporate world. I was raised by my grandparents who didn't go to high school or college and was suddenly thrown into a world of fancy dinners and nuanced etiquette. I didn't see anyone who looked like me. I started trying to emulate others rather than lean into who I was. As I gained experience, I realized that everyone has their own origin story and it's okay to represent your own.